


Men of Some Other Mettle Than Earth

by ThisWasInevitable



Series: Falling [2]
Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Body Image, Costume Parties & Masquerades, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Smut, Hand Jobs, Indrid cleans up nice for a disaster twink, Insecurity, M/M, New Years Eve, Semi-Public Sex, TAZ Amnesty, background dani/aubrey, indruck, kind of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-28
Updated: 2018-12-28
Packaged: 2019-09-29 12:44:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,368
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17203643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThisWasInevitable/pseuds/ThisWasInevitable
Summary: Ned decorates, Aubrey gives a present, and Duck and Indrid ring in the new year.





	Men of Some Other Mettle Than Earth

“Remind me how I got talked into this?” Duck asks, balancing precariously on the lop of a ladder, stringing silver and gold garlands across the ceiling of the Kepler Community Center. 

“You’re doing a favor for a friend by helping solidify him as a paragon of community mindedness in the eyes of Keplers citizens.” Ned shouts up to him from his position bracing the ladder. 

“Also you need to take Indrid on a real date and you don’t want to be the only person not getting kissed at midnight!” Aubrey adds from the rapidly growing bouquet of balloons surrounding her. 

"It's not like Ned's going to."

"Bets not insult the romantic prowess of the person holding the ladder." Retorts Ned

Duck has to admit that the Aubrey’s reasons for his helping are closer to the truth, but he’s going to blame Ned anyway. 

The three of them are preparing for the New Years Eve Masquerade, hosted by the Cryptonomica. Aubrey had tried to convince Mama to have it at the lodge, but the older woman pointed out she was still cleaning up the mess from the most recent abomination. Ned had swooped in, never one to miss an advertising opportunity (and more than happy to indulge his friend's need to throw a party).

And so, after sweet-talking some chamber of commerce members Ned had secured a location for the festivities, and the trio were hard at work decorating for the night. 

Oh, and Duck had unintentionally suggested to Indrid that this be their first official date, thereby suggesting that they were, in fact, dating. Goddammit, they were dating, weren’t they? Which meant he needed to start introducing Indrid as his boyfriend. 

Given Indrid’s excitement at attending, and his general affection for and attraction to Duck, there was no reason to assume that wasn’t what he wanted. But still, Duck didn’t want to push him into anything. Or for him to realize that Duck was not nearly as interesting as he thought he was.

“Earth to Duck!” Aubreys voice snaps him out of his thoughts. She’s standing at the bottom of the ladder, bouncing up on the balls of her feet with her hands behind her back. Duck comes down to meet her.

“Soooooo I figured you wouldn’t have a mask yet, so I had Barclay make you one. Close your eyes!”

“Aubrey, I swear to god if it’s a duck.” He says, shutting his eyes. 

“Nope. Tada!” Duck is pleasantly surprised when he opens his eyes to see Aubrey proudly holding out a mask of a black swan with golden details. 

“That’s awful nice Aubrey, thanks.” 

Aubrey beams.

“You’ll look so cool! Okay, I gotta go meet up with Dani and Jake and start getting ready. I’ll see you tonight.”

Duck doubts he’ll look that cool, but he appreciates the enthusiasm. 

\------------------------

Duck has adjusted his suit no fewer than six times. He still feels awkward. It doesn’t help that he’s heading to the party on his own, Indrid having left him a note on the counter saying he had some errands to run and would meet Duck there. 

He doesn’t put his mask on until he pulls into the parking lot. He's worried the three of them will be the only ones with masks and will look silly. When he steps into the community center, he’s relieved to see not a single human face. 

There are hounds, butterflies, suns, cats, and birds (he counts at least seven). He spots Jake in a mask fashioned after Dr Harris Bonkers, PhD. Barclay, in a full unicorn mask, has been cornered by Kirby (in an alien mask) who appears to be describing his latest edition of the newsletter. He even sees the young man whose car Indrid damaged while rescuing Duck. The man is wearing a black and orange striped cat mask and talking animatedly to someone in a bear mask and someone in a mongoose mask. Ned stands on a small stage, mic in hand, wearing an owl mask and welcoming the crowd the festivities. 

“I’m so glad you didn’t chicken out.” Duck turns and is face to face with a phoenix whose smile is unmistakably Aubreys. Next to her is Dani, a bright blue and green peacock mask covering her face. 

“Yeah, well, went to all the trouble to help you and Ned set up, figured I should at least enjoy the finished product.”

“Where’s your hot date?” 

Duck glares at her.

“You know if you’re making an annoyed face that I can’t see it, right?”

Dani taps Aubrey on the shoulder before pointing behind Duck. He turns to see a tall, lanky figure in a white suit enter the room, with a mask of a Luna Moth in flight sitting just below a familiar mess of white hair. 

“I didn’t know he owned anything besides pajamas” Aubrey says from over his shoulder. 

“Me neither.” 

Indrid is scanning the room, and Duck gives a small wave to catch his eye. Though the fact that Dani and Aubrey are waving their arms behind him probably actually what helps Indrid see him. He moves carefully through the crowd, shoulders hunched in, until he reaches Duck. 

“Evenin, stranger.”

“Hi.” He waves to the pair behind Duck, as Dani conspicuously takes Aubrey's arm. 

“Hi Indrid, we were just leaving. Can’t bring the cutest girl in town and not dance with her.” 

Duck would bet his life Aubrey is bright red underneath her mask as Dani pulls her towards the dance floor with a twirl. He looks back at Indrid, who is fidgeting with the cuff of his jacket. 

“Sorry I’m late, it took more time than I planned to unearth this.” He indicates his outfit.

“S’fine. You, uh, you look real good.” Duck has no idea what to do with his hands. His instinct is to pull Indrid in for a kiss, but that feels like too much PDA for either of them. Should he hold his hand? Link arms? Goddamn, when did this get so hard?

“Want something to drink?” He indicates the table laden with snacks and a bowl of something bright red that Indrid will most definitely like. 

“Sure.” 

They make their way to the table, and as Duck is ladling out a drink someone taps him on the back. He turns to see a wolf, which addresses him in Juno’s voice, with three other woodland animals behind her. 

“Duck! I’m shocked you’re out past 9 pm”

“Haha, very funny. We’re the same age Juno.”

She gives him a friendly nudge with her shoulder. 

“Don’t mean I can’t still give you shit. Who’s your tall friend?”

“I’m Indrid.” He shakes Juno’s offered hand.

“Nice to meet you. Are you the one”

“You've seen at the ranger station? Yes, I’ve stopped by to see Duck a few times.”

“Reeeeaally?” She looks back at Duck, and he’s starting to think spending the rest of the evening under the table sounds nice. 

“Yeah, uh, Indrid’s been spendi'n a lot of time with me since he got into town. We’re uh, well, uh, fuck, friends, no, uh. Dating. We’re dating.”

“I sorta figured, given that I saw you kiss him when you thought I wasn’t looki'n.” Juno says with a laugh, though Duck swears the chipmunk and squirrel behind her exchange surprised glances. 

“Apologies, but you know how budding romances go.” There’s a smile in Indrids voice

“We’ll have to chat later. Got a lot of stories bout this one, includin' his high school days.” Juno tosses the last part over her shoulder as she walks away. 

They play out a similar exchange a few more times as Duck runs across more people he knows. He can do small-town small talk until the cows come home, but something about how people seem to be surprised when he indicates Indird is his date is making him tense. He’s relieved when Ned calls him over to help adjust one of the speakers. When they’ve finished, he can’t spot Indrid right away and decides to take his chance.

There’s a supply closet a little ways down the hall from the main room and mercifully he doesn’t run into anyone on his way there. He steps inside and shuts the door, letting out an enormous sigh as he removes his mask. 

There’s someone behind him. He can sense it. 

“Err, sorry, didn’t realize this spot was taken, I’ll, uh, show myself out.”

“You may want to at least turn around first.” A voice replies from the shadows. He turns to find Indrid, sans mask, smiling at him. Duck steps forward and Indrid leans down to kiss him. 

“How?” Duck whispers as they break apart.

“It emerged as a future that you’d hide in here. I was worried and wanted to check on you. Unless I’m the source of your distress, in which case I can go.” 

“No it’s, uh, not you. Not a bit, fuck, it’s just, fuck. I’m gonna stop talkin' while I’m ahead.”

They’re silent for a moment as Duck weighs whether he wants to try and explain himself further. 

“You’re feeling insecure. Because you think people are looking at me and wondering why I’m dating you.” Indrid offers quietly. 

“Okay, there’s no way you’re not fuckin' psychic.”

“There were two futures, one where you said that aloud and one where you didn’t. I...thought it might help if you didn’t have to.”

“I guess it’s just, as far as they’re concerned I’m an aging native son who never amounted to much and so it don’t make sense that a young, good-lookin', interestin' guy would be datin' me.” Duck addresses the floor, feels Indrid place his hands on his shoulders. 

“That’s a lot to assume about people whose faces you can’t even see.” He kisses the top of Ducks head.

“Don’t mean it ain’t true.”

Indrid puts a hand under Ducks chin and tilts it up until he’s looking Duck in the eye. 

“Putting aside the fact that you’re transforming your own self-doubts into the opinions of other people, there’s the not-so-small matter of them not being able to see my rather odd features because of my mask or, because of the dim lights, notice that this suit has been sitting in my closet since the late 70s and has at least one eggnog stain on it. Were they to see me in my natural habitat, they might think you quite out of my league.”

Duck gives a small smile, but still turns away from Indrid to rest his forehead against the wall. Whatever doubt has wormed its way under his skin is annoyingly stubborn. 

Indrids arms loop under his own and around his waist, a kiss landing softly at the back of his neck. 

“I certainly think you’re out of my league. You’re quite handsome and I like the way you’re built.”

“Indrid, I ain’t got what the average person would think is a nice build. I got a belly, among other things.”

“Yes, as pretty much every animal does. I enjoy the softer parts of you, as they’re pleasing to touch.” One hand slowly tugs Ducks shirt out of his pants, allowing Indrid to run it across his stomach and up his chest for emphasis. Duck inhales sharply.

“Truthfully, there’s not a part on you that I don’t enjoy. Although I have my favorites.” The other hand undoes the button and zipper of Ducks pants before slipping beneath the waistband of his boxers.

“And in case you think I’m exaggerating.” Indrid grinds against him, letting Duck feel his hard-on as it presses against his ass. 

“You tryin' to make me feel better with flattery? Cause I gotta say it’s workin'.”

“Well, then, let me add that this” he wraps his fingers around Ducks cock, “is something I can’t go more than ten minutes without thinking about.” He moves his hand back and forth slowly, and Duck bites back a groan.

“Please tell me you put a chair under the doorknob or somethin' because I ain’t got caught foolin' around in a public place since I was a senior and I don’t care to have it happen again.”

“You haven’t done this since high school?”

“Haven’t got caught, big difference.”

“Hmmm, you’ll have to tell me more about that sometime. And I’m keeping as close as an eye as possible on the future, in order to avoid any unwanted disturbances.” Indrid removes his hand from under Ducks shirt and his pants, pulls off his jacket, begins undoing the top buttons of the shirt instead. He loosens it until he can get it off of Ducks shoulders, bites down on his left side. 

“Fuck!” Duck whispers, as Indrid bites and sucks across his shoulders, one hand returning to his chest as the other one takes up it's previous activity with a quickened pace. He’s rolling his hips against Duck almost casually, as if they have all the time in the world. Duck allows himself to relax and enjoy the attention, the feeling of Indrid pressed up against him making pleased chirp-hums. 

He gets about thirty seconds before a horrible thought occurs to him.

“Indrid Whateverthefuckyourmiddlenameis Cold, if you make me go back into a room full of people I know after coming in my pants I swear to god I will, I will do somethin' threatenin' that I can’t think of at the moment.” Indrid huffs out a laugh, removes the offending hand from Ducks body.

“How’d you guess my middle name?” He bites Duck on the ear. 

“You been spendin' too much time around Ned. Also I’d like to never bring up Ned while we’re having sex again.”

“I won’t if you won’t. And as for your concerns, does this help?” Something soft and cool wraps around Ducks cock and for a moment he cannot figure out what it is. Definitely fabric, definitely smooth. The part of his brain not gunning for an orgasm dimly recalls Indrid having something in the front pocket of his jacket. 

“Is that a”

“Silk handkerchief? Yes.” Indrids head is resting on Ducks shoulder and he nuzzles his cheek.

“Didn’t take you for the type.”

“It came with the suit. Now, would you like me to continue?” 

“Yeah. But, uh, we should probably, oh FUCK, probably be pretty quick before someone notices we’re nnnhhhhhhh.” He bites down on his shirtsleeve to stifle a groan, figures Indrid knows how that sentences ends anyway. His hand glides back and forth, thumb occasionally swiping over Ducks tip, and Duck feels glasses bump his cheek as Indrid mouths at his neck, more panting than kissing at this point. 

“You know, you haven’t considered at all the possibility that people kept giving you those glances because of how handsome you are.” The hand not already occupied squeezes Ducks ass, bringing his orgasm that much closer.

“And why shouldn't they? It’s a miracle I was able to keep my hands off you as long as I did tonight, Duck, oh goodness, you look so good.” Indrids hips are moving more rapidly, his grip on Duck tightens. 

“You’re so full of shitshitshitshit.” His orgasm hits harder than he expects, and he rides it out with a string of muffled curses, Indrid pausing his movements in order to just hold him close, wrapping his arms around to hug him (the handkerchief, purpose served, is dropped on the floor). 

“Was saying those sorts of things helpful?” The voice in his ear whispers.

Duck places the hand not supporting him against the wall on one of Indrids wrists, squeezing it reassuringly. 

“Yeah, it was. Thanks, darlin'.”

He rotates slightly so he can kiss Indrid, and in doing so realizes that there’s an issue that needs resolving before they can go back out. 

“You planin' on goin' back out there like this?” He runs his palm lightly over the front of Indrids pants, earning him a small moan. 

“I, ahem, have a solution if you’re open to it. I have these” he produces two wetwipes from pocket, “which would be sufficient for cleaning my hand and a…. body part of your choice. If you follow my meaning.” In the limited light coming under the door, Duck sees Indrid rub his hand on the back of his neck, nervously. Duck looks down at the packets.

“Did you see a future where you come on me and decide to bring those?”

“Yes. Purely as a precaution.”

“Uh huh.” Duck arches an eyebrow. 

“Alright, I’m game. How did your prophecy show this goin'?” He barely finishes the sentence before his chest is once again pressing against the wall as Indrid shoves his pant and boxers down to the ground and (as far as Duck can tell) shifting his own clothes around until his cock is uncovered. He’s up against Duck as close as he can be while still able to move his hand over his cock, the other hand hoisting Ducks shirt up his back, leaving most of it exposed. Whatever composure Indrid had is gone, an effect that Duck finds gratifying, and he seems to be torn touching Duck as much as possible and getting off as quickly as he can.

He settles for kissing every part of him he can reach, whispers things so rapidly that Duck can only pick up a few words, “handsome,” “good” and his own name among them. The words deteriorate into sounds and as Indrid kisses the top of his head with a purr a small amount of something wet hits his back. 

After a moment Indrid pulls away, tearing a packet open as he does and cleaning his hand. He opens the second and cleans Duck as well, kisses him when he’s done. They’re halfway back to looking respectable, having disposed of certain used items in a convenient trashcan when Indrids head snaps up. 

“Aubrey is going to be in the hallway in thirty seconds.

“Fuck!” Duck finishes tucking in his shirt, grabs his mask of the ground and shoves it one, and hurriedly steps out the door and into the hall, Indrid close behind him. They make it a third of the way down the hall before Aubrey steps out of the main room.

“There you guys are! I thought Duck might have tried to sneak out the bathroom window.”

“Naw, just needed a break from all the hubbub and such.”

“Oh, I totally get it. C’mon, Ned is trying to butter up some chamber of commerce people and it’s hilarious.”

“Right behind you.”

“By the way,looks like you two switched masks. You may want to swap them back before you go back in. Y’now, so people don’t think you were up to something.” Her grin puts the Cheshire Cat to shame.

\-------------------------------------------------

The rest of the night goes more pleasantly, though whether that’s due to him actually feeling better or just being in a post-orgasmic haze Duck can’t be sure. But he chats with Jake about his attempts to build a rabbit-sized ski park for Dr Harris Bonkers, PhD, let’s Ned talk his ear off about his plans for the Crytponomica in the new year, and doesn’t cringe too hard when Juno shares an embarrassing anecdote from high school with Indrid, Aubrey, and Dani. He even chats with the young man in the mongoose mask, whose voice sounds familiar though he can’t say why. 

The last dance of the evening is upon them, and of course it’s a slow one. Given neither he nor Indrid is particularly graceful this is actually a blessing, as all they have to do is sway. As the countdown to midnight approaches, he rests his head against Indrids shoulder.

“Glad you came?” Indrid asks softly

“Uh huh, in both senses of the word.”

Indrid groans.

“C’mon, you had to see that one coming.”

“I did, true. One of the things I most enjoy about being with you is that you still make even the predictable interesting, or at least humorous.” 

In the air around them, the words “happy new year” echo around the room. Duck lifts off his mask so that his face is free, does the same to Indrids. They kiss until the final note of the song fades away. 

“Happy New Year, Duck.”

“Happy New Year, darlin'.”

**Author's Note:**

> I tried to make Ducks insecurities jibe with what we know about him so far in canon (he doesn't seem cripplingly insecure about his body, but it doesn't sound like he considers himself the pinnacle of attractiveness).
> 
> Work title is from the masquerade scene of Much Ado About Nothing. It refers to the condition under which one character will be willing to marry.
> 
> Questions, comments, requests? Find me at Inevitable Indruck: https://thiswasinevitableid.tumblr.com/


End file.
